Oil indicator



Jan. 26 191255. 1,571,142

C. G. PERKINS OIL INDICATOR Filed Nov. 14. 1923 UNIT-ED i Patented Jan.' 26, gaie.4

CHARLES o.

Kinross', in the countyv ot Chippewafand l State of l\lichi;'an,' luiveinvented certain newl and uselul Improvements in an Oil Iii- '(licaloi', ot' which the following' isa .specificatio`n.'

This invention appcitains to' automobiles lo provide novel ineans tor indicating to the plant of' the vehicle.r

l5 p'rovideka' novel oil level indicator `which can x be readily connected, to the crank case ot an internal coinlnistion` )engine without any change'in the'eonstruction thereof, the indicator liavingnovel'means for permitting the 'connection thereof with 'the low'erpetcock ot' the crank case.

A 'further 'objectof the invention is to provide van improvedoil level indicator embodyimor a cylinder having communication with the lower petcock ot' a crank case ot an internal combustion engine of an automobile and a float mounted in said cylinder :adapted to raise and lower with the level ot' the oil in the cylinder and crank case having operative connection through the inediuin oi a' crankand flexible sha-ft with an indicator dial, which is adapted to be disposed on the instrument board of the automobile.

A still further object ot' the invention is to provide an improved device for indicating the level of oil in the crank case ot' an internal combustion engine `ot the above character, which will be durable and efficient in use, one that will be simple and easy to ufactureand one which can be placed upon the market and incorporated with an automobile at a, minimum cost,

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and torina-tion of parts, as will he hereinafter more specilically described, claimed, and illustrated in the accompany ingr lrawings, in which drawings: y

Figure 1 is a vertical section through an "internal combustion .engine showing the improved oil level indicator incorporated there- With. I i

Figure 2 is a detail diametric Sectio PERKINS, oF nuances, MICHIGAN.

I on. yInnrc A'.Lonl.i.` i

Agpnqauon'med November 14, 1923.

aiid the primary object ol the invention is:

.ivitli the low-er peteock of the crank case. `driver of theautoinobile the level ot the lu'- bricating oil inthe crank case of the power f-iu `similar reference characters designate l y corresponding parts throughout the several l Another pri'njie object of the invention is tol -nal con-rbustion engine ol an automobile rial No. 67h63.

. -Figur l is an elevation of the cylindelifanillassoci'atepartent-the indicator.. ylhgure 1s "a detail vertical section thu-)ugh the"` `indicator showing the novel 0 5,.-

iATjEs `oPrice@@j cylinder, andgtioat, anldthe novel means for' cmrne'ctingthe cyjlinder with the lower pet'- cock ot the crank case, and

:is va detail 'horizontal lSection taken. outhe line 5-5 ot Figure': showingfi the novel means t'or connecting the cylinder Referring'to the drawings in detail, wheres v.i`e;.\vs,.vtlie letter A generally indicatesl the improved oil level indicator and B :1n-intein with which the sanicis associated. n

The engiinel B is otV a conventional and includcs'the lusual `crank case 10 having'i the upper and lower oil level indicating-'petcocks 12 and I13 as is usual in the ordina-ryl construction. The improved o il level indicator A comprises a cylinder 15 having its lower end closed by a wall 16, and its upper end closed by a removable threaded cap 17 which. is providedv with an axial guide opening 18. 'lhe extreme lower end of the cylinder .l5 is provided with an inlet pipeI 19 which carries a flared connecting mouth 20 which may be provided with 'a peripheral attaching;y flange 21. The` flaredinouth 2O is so shaped.' as to snugly receive the outlet end ,O t' the'l fire.

lower petcock Li and in order to rigidly hold the cylinder 15 1n place, I place an annular retaining plate or -vasher 22 on said lower petcock '18 in rear-of the body thereof.

Suitable connecting bolts23 can now, be 95 utilized for connecting 'the flange'21 of .the

flared mouth 2O with the annular retaining "'f' nected/" to the outer end ofthe-oranti 2 6 which is rigidly connected to a, flexible-opers'throughthe indicating dial of the indicatoii" ating shaft 27. This operating share 27 `f taken on the line 2`-2 of Figure l.; i Y

is housed witlainei derribo housing 28 and f It is obvious that the 'i the lower end of the housing lcan be secured to a suitable sleeve or the like 29 rigidly connected to the cylinder 15 through the medium of a. bracket 30. The flexible housin 23 is connected ai; its upper end to the board thereof, This indicator `31 includes.

a housing 32 supporting a dial plate 33 which may be graduated `-or marked with Suitable indicia such as Low, Medium and Higlf 4The flexible operating` shaft 27 extends into the housing 32 and through the axial center of lthe dial plate 33 and has rigidly secured thereto the indicating pointer 34 which is adapted to travel -over the indicator plate 33 when the flexible shaft 27 is turned by the crank 26. The indicating pointer 34 and dial plate 33 can be protected -by a suitable'transparent plate 35 if so desired.

In operation of the improved oil level indicator, it can be seen that as the oil level chan es in the cylinder 15. that the ioat 24 will e raised or lowered therewith, thus swinging the crank 26 and turning the shaft 27, whichwill move the indicating point'r over the dial plate. Y.

From the foregoing description, it lcan be seen that I have provided an improved oil level indicator of exceptionally simple and durable construction which `can be attached to the crank case of an internal combustion en ine without anyr change therein.

fhanges in details may be made without departing from the spirit or the scopeA of the invention.

What I claim as new is: A lubricant indicator for association Wit one of-the crankfcase lubricant drain cocks comprising a cylinder, A ared tubular element leading laterally from the cyllnuer adapted to be received on the pet cock, meafns for securing the flared tubular element `to thepetcock, an arm extending vertically from the cylinder, a flexible tube having one end supported by the arm, a Flexible shaft in the tube, a crank arm extending from one end of the shaft and disposed above the cylinder, a oat in the cylinder, a rigid connection between the float and the crank arm, and a registering mechanism including a movable hand operatively connected withV the flexible shaft.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

CHARLES G. PERKINS. 

